Combination cap and eyeshield



Dec. 2, 1952 H. WEISSBERG.

COMBINATION CAP AND EYESHIELD Filed July 27, 1950 FIG.2

FIG.

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Patented Dec. 2, 1952 UNITED STATE ET OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination cap and eyeshield.

A number of cap constructions are known in the art wherein an eyeshield is swingably and/or slidably mounted on the undersurface of the cap visor, whereby the eyeshield may be selectively moved to a position before the wearers eyes, or moved to a position adjacent the undersurface of the visor when the eyeshield is not in use. Such constructions include mounting means of the hinged or universal type wherein at least one element thereof is permanently attached to the cap visor. In some constructions the eyeshield cannot be removed from the cap visor, while in others, where the eyeshield may be removed, there is left on the cap visor a projecting mounting element. The removal of the eyeshield makes the projecting element conspicuous and unsightly. Furthermore, the projecting element constitutes a hazard when the wearer is either putting on or taking off the cap.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a combination cap and eyeshield having improved mounting means for hingedly connecting the eyeshield to the cap visor, the mounting means including separable elements whereby the eyeshield may be removed from the cap visor at will, leaving an inconspicuous, non-projecting element on the cap visor.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a combination of the character described, a

fastener on the cap visor, hinged eyeshield mounting means separably connected to the fastener, the fastener being substantially flush with the underside of the cap visor and lending an ornamental appearance to the visor when the eyeshield mounting is detached therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a combination of the character described, a plurality of fasteners secured to the cap visor in predetermined positions thereon, whereby hinged mounting means and an eyeshield attached thereto, may be separably attached to selected fasteners, thus locating the eyeshield in selected positions relative to the wearers eyes when the eyeshield is swung to an operative position.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a combination of the character described, fastening members secured to a cap visor, hinged eyeshield mounting means separably attached to the fasteners, the mounting means including an element formed on one end thereof in a manner to provide firm frictional engagement with the fastening means and formed on the other end in a manner to provide universal engagement with another elementof the mounting means.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide improved connecting means for separably mounting an eyeshield on a cap visor which is of simple construction, is readily attached to both cap visor and eyeshield, permits quick removal or attachment of the eyeshield on the cap visor, increases the utility of the cap under varying conditions, and is practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the embodiment hereinafter described,

and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown illustrative embodiments of the invention;

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a cap embodying the invention, with the eyeshield removed;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of the connection between the eyeshield and the cap visor, with parts cut away and parts in section;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the cap visor with the eyeshield folded up toward the underside thereof; and

. Fig. 5 is an elevational View of a connector element illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, It designates a combination cap and eyeshield embodying the invention. The same comprises a cap ll having a visor l2 projecting therefrom. The cap visor i2 includes an inner edge I3 at which the visor is secured to the cap and an outer edge [4. The visor further includes a bottom surface I5 and a top surface l5a.

on the bottom surface l5 of the visor is separably attached an eyeshield 56 by means of a pair of universal connectors generally designated as H, through a pair of snap fasteners 18 which are coactive with connectors ll.

The eyeshield I6 is of a conventional type, including a rim member I9 which may be precurved from end to end and a lens 20 which is fitted into the rim. Lens 25! may be formed of a plastic material or the like, which is colored or otherwise treated to filter out the harmful portion of the sun's rays, which may injure or fatigu the eyes of the cap wearer. It is understood that a rimless, one piece lens may be used as an eyeshield, in lieu of the rim-lens combination shown.

Each of the universal connectors 11 comprises a bracket member 2! having a portion 22 at one end thereof which is secured to an upper rim portion at one end of the eyeshield by means of a rivet 22a or the like. The member 2! further comprises a pair of parallel ear portions 23 extending from the other end thereof and disposed at right angles thereto. The ear portions 23 are formed on their inner surfaces with similar, oppositely disposed part spherical recesses or depressions 2d.

Each of the connectors 57 further includes a member 25 having a ball shaped portion 26 at one end thereof which is receivable between the ears 23 and frictionall gripped in the recesses thereof. The member 25 includes a neck portion 25a extending from the ball portion and interconnecting thereto a circular flange 2?. The opposite end of member 25 is formed with an outwardly extending protuberant portion 22 which is integral at its base with flange 2?. The base of portion 28 is of a lesser diameter than the diameter of flange 27.

A pair of snap type fasteners [8, known in the art, are fixed to the cap visor 2 for detachably mounting the connectors if and through them the eyeshield it. Each of the fasteners Iii comprises a female member 29 which is located on the bottom surface of the visor at opposite sides thereof and at a predetermined distance from the edge [3 of the visor. Each of the members 29 includes an annular wall 38 of substantially s shaped section having a substantially flat outer wall portion 3| and an inner wall portion 32 defining a central opening 33. The wall portion 32 may be radially split as. at 35 to render the wall portion 32 somewhat resilient, in a manner known in the art.

Each of the members 29 is secured in place on the visor by means of a clinching member 35 which is circular in shape and includes projecting prongs 36 which are adapted to pass through the material of the cap visor and to be received in the annular recess 31 on the rear of member 29. The members 29, 35 are properly located on the bottom and top surfaces l5, a of the cap visor and interengaged by means well known in the art.

It will be apparent that the wall portion 3! of the members 29 is disposed closely adjacent the bottom surface I 5 of the cap visor, rendering the same fairly inconspicuous and does not project unduly. The members 29, may be colored or plated if it is desired to render the same ornamental.

It is understood that the protuberant portions 28 on members 25 are shaped in a manner to permit the same to form male snap type fasteners which may be snapped into openings 33 on female snap members 29. Thus, the members 25 are frictionally and releasably gripped in the members 29. With the members 25, 29 so interconected, the flange 27 on member 25 bears against wall portion 31 of member 29, to provide firm engagement between the members.

The eyeshield I6 is thus releasably mounted on the cap visor while permitting hinged movement of the eyeshield towards and away from the bottom surface 15 of the visor.

In the event that the cap wearer wishes to remove the eyeshield from the cap visor, the eyeshield may be detached together with the connectors. H. To this end, the frictional grip of the bracket cars 23 relative to the ball portions 26 of members 25 is adjusted so as to be somewhat greater than the frictional grip between female member 2a and the male fastener portion 28 of member 25. Upon grasping the eyeshield It at points adjacent the connectors I1 and pulling the same in a direction away from the bottom surface [5 of the visor, the eyeshield together with the connectors will come away from the members 29. The members 29 which are permanently attached to the cap visor, are not only inconspicuous per se, but additionally do not constitute a hazard to the cap wearer when he puts on or takes off the cap having the eyeshield detached therefrom.

The position of the eyeshield is when swung down before the cap wearers eyes may be adjusted by providing one or more additional pairs of snap fasteners [8a. The additional pair of fasteners 18a may be located closer to the visor edge l3, thus allowing the eyeshield to be snapped into a position where the same is closer to the eyes of the cap wearer when the eyeshield is swung down to its operative position. It is understood that other pairs of fasteners I80. may be located at points further from visor edge 3 than fasteners 18.

As shown in Fig. 5, the members providing the male snap fastener may be modified as shown in 25a wherein the neck portion 22a is omitted and the juncture of the ball shaped portion 38 and male snap. fastener portion 23a forms a shoulder 39 which is adapted to engage the wall portion 3! of member 29.

The coaction of members 25 and 29 makes detachment and attachment of the eyeshield it to the cap visor, a simple matter and allows for quick interchange of eyeshields of different lens color or shielding characteristics. If desired, the eyeshield #6 may be detached from the members 25 by holding members 25 with a suitable tool and pulling the eyeshield away from the members.

It is understood that male snap type fasteners having forms other than that shown, may be used in conjunction with the members 29.

It is apparent that there has been provided means for separably connecting a hinged type eyeshield to a cap visor wherein the connectors fixed to the cap visor are of a type which lie close to the visor, are inconspicuous when the eyeshield is detached from the visor, yet provides a sturdy connection for the eyeshield when attached to the visor.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above described invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense;

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a cap visor, an eyeshield and for separably interconnecting said visor and eyeshield at spaced points, each interconnecting means comprising one member including a ball portion at one end thereof, a second member including a pair of opposed ears at one end thereof, the inner surfaces of said ears being formed with opposed depressions for frictionally receiving the ball portion of said one member therebetween, means for securing one of said members to said eyeshield, the, other of said members including a male snap fastener at the other end thereof, and a female snap fastener on a surface of said visor having its outer surface 7 immediately adjacent said visor surface for frictionally gripping each of said male snap fasteners.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein the frictional grip between said members is greater than the frictional grip between said snap fasteners.

3. In combination, a cap visor having a bottom surface, an eyeshield, and means for separably interconnecting said visor and said eyeshield at spaced points, means comprising a bracket including at one end thereof a pair of spaced ears having opposed depressions, means for securing the other end of said bracket to said eyeshield, a member formed at the opposite ends thereof with protuberant portions, one of said end portions being frictionally gripped between the ears of said bracket. a flat snap fastener, means for securing said fastener to the bottom surface of said visor, said fastener including means for frictionally and releasably gripping the other end portion of said member.

4. A combination as in claim 3, wherein said fastener includes a bearing surface and said member includes a shoulder at the juncture of said end portions, said shoulder engaging said bearing surface when said member is gripped by said fastener.

5. In combination, a visor having a pair of snap fasteners secured to the underside thereof at spaced points, each of said fasteners including a substantially fiat wall closely adjacent the underside of said visor and a central opening formed therein, said opening being defined by resilient portions of said wall, an eyeshield and means for separably connecting said eyeshield to said fasteners, each connecting means comprising a pair of members, one of said members including a portion at one end thereof receivable each of said interconnecting in the opening of a fastener and frictionally gripped by the resilient wall portion thereof, and a ball shaped portion at the other end thereof, the other of said members comprising means for frictionally and universally engaging the ball shaped portion of said one member and means for attaching said last mentioned member to said eyeshield.

6. In combination, a first member including protuberant portions at the opposite ends thereof, a pair of members, each of said pair of members including a portion formed to receive and frictionally engage a protuberant end portion of said first member, to form a separable connection therebetween, the engaging portions at one of said connections including means to provide universal movement between said first member and one of said pair of members, the engaging portions at the other of said connections including means to prevent deflection of said first member relative to the other of said pair of members.

HANNAH WEISSBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,298,636 Altman Apr. 1, 1919 2,328,687 Serr Sept. 17, 1943 2,500,280 Feldman Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 473,486 France Sept. 25, 1914 

